Solemn siren of sacrifice pierces hearts in Israel

HAIFA, Israel -- A siren pierces the quiet of the night. It doesn't come from a police car or an ambulance, and it echoes. From every standpoint across the suburban towns, major cities -- even across the country -- people hear the siren and stop.

Monday night started a day of commemoration in Israel called Yom HaZikaron. This is the day Israel honors all of the soldiers killed and victims of terrorist attacks since it became a country in 1948.

Growing up in the United States, the most prevalent activity I remember done on Memorial Day and Veterans Day is a picnic. Or perhaps shopping -- because who can pass on a Memorial Day sale? Parades are held in honor of our country's military personnel. The attendance is dwindling, as are the men and women who served in more combative times. Perhaps this is what comes from having freedom for so long; Americans don't necessarily take it for granted, but we don't remember what it was to fight for it.

In Israel, everything is fresh. America has scars that cover wounds received long ago. In Israel, the wounds are still open and bleeding. Death for a person, not just a soldier, is a reality here. A proof of point is a terrorist attack carried more than two weeks ago. The targeted restaurant had just hired the security guard before the explosion. The United States now helps other countries fight for their freedom, for the liberties Americans have enjoyed for so long. Israel continues to fight for its own freedom, for its own existence while surrounded by malicious enemies who want nothing more than for this country to disappear.

Those sirens, as they sound, make the country stop. Monday night and today, businesses, stores and schools close out of honor for the day. When the siren wails, traffic stops. People halt their activities, cease conversations and stand quietly, remembering. They remember the half-dozen wars already fought since this country's birth 58 years ago. They remember fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends and comrades killed so they can live safely. People here honor the lives given for this country to strive for life and peace.

The United States, I think, will start to remember the solemnity for Memorial Day and Veterans Day as our troops continue to work in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. Americans who have lost loved ones will want those days to mean more than an excuse to take off from school or work, something other than an aid to go shopping or a chance to enjoy fine weather. People will want their loved ones remembered for their sacrifices.